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Coyotes-Wolves-Cougars.blogspot.com

Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions.
This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization.
Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

Huge swaths of Canada's boreal forests under threat

Researchers say a full 50 per cent of 'world's last great forest' should be protected

BY RANDY BOSWELL, POSTMEDIA NEWS

Iconic species such as the woodland caribou "have disappeared from the southern tier of the boreal forest" and other signature wildlife of Canada's forests — wolverine, grizzly bear and wolf — are in trouble, the panel states.

At least half of Canada's vast boreal forest should be strictly protected from any kind of development and the rest should be carefully managed to preserve or restore its ecological integrity, a panel of top North American researchers argues in a report to be released Monday on "the world's last great forest."

The International Boreal Conservation Science Panel, which includes such leading Canadian environmental experts as University of Alberta ecologist David Schindler, is sounding the alarm about Canada's 5.8-million-sq.-km expanse of northern woods and wetlands on the opening day of a global conference of biologists being held this week in Baltimore.

Encompassing more than half of Canada's 9.9-million-sq.-km landmass, the boreal forest is described by the volunteer panel as "one of the world's greatest natural treasures" and — along with the Siberian boreal forest and the Amazon rainforest — as one of the last three significant stretches of forested land on Earth that has "never been touched by the large-scale footprint of human industrial expansion."

The researchers cite studies showing that some 730,000 square kilometres of Canada's boreal forest — about one-eighth of the total, or an area "larger than Texas" — is "already affected by these industries and their infrastructure," including roads and hydroelectric dams.

Iconic species such as the woodland caribou "have disappeared from the southern tier of the boreal forest" and other signature wildlife of Canada's forests — wolverine, grizzly bear and wolf — are in trouble, the panel states.

"The wave of development pushing north through Canada's boreal forest leaves, in its wake, an expanding list of impacted species and widespread degradation of ecosystem services," the report asserts.The panel's key recommendation is that a full 50 per cent of the boreal forest should be set aside as permanent wild land — a much more aggressive conservation target than experts have previously proposed.

The Canadian Boreal Forest

"It has become apparent that substantially more habitat protection than previously recognized is needed," the panel concludes. "Older recommendations — that setting aside 10-12 per cent of a region's land base would be sufficient to maintain a region's biodiversity and ecological processes — are now known to reflect major underestimates."

The panel insists that "to maintain ecological processes and the full complement of wildlife species, at least 50 per cent of an ecosystem or broad-scale landscape should be incorporated into a network of conservation areas that are free of industrial disturbance."

While the panel says conservation initiatives "should accommodate Aboriginal traditional uses of the land and should be managed or co-managed by Aboriginal governments," it also states that ecological protection zones should also be "enshrined in civic institutions" so that environmental commitments "cannot be changed to accommodate short-term political pressures and sensitivities."

Report co-author Jeff Wells, science adviser to the U.S.-based Pew Charitable Trusts, said in a statement that because of the "mounting pressures on boreal regions of Canada," efforts to sustain their "globally important conservation values will require very large protected areas."

Along with Schindler, one of this country's top aquatic scientists, other Canadian co-authors of the report include University of Manitoba and Parks Canada ecologist Micheline Manseau, University of Ottawa biologist Jeremy Kerr, McGill University geographer Nigel Roulet and University of Victoria environmental studies professor Nancy Turner.

Two Massachusetts Eastern Coyotes at their den site

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Aldo Leopold--3 quotes from his SAN COUNTY ALMANAC

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold

''To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Wildlife Rendezvous

Like so many conscientious hunters and anglers come to realize, good habitat with our full suite of predators and prey make for healthy and productive living............Teddy Roosevelt depicted at a "WILDLIFE RENDEZVOUS"

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Blog Disclaimer

This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time…I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of my various thoughts and opinions, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Rick Meril and WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS.COM make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.